Automatic container filler



Feb. 26, 1946. N. 'LAUTERBACH 9 5 AUTOMATIC CONTAINER FILLER Filed Sept. 27, 1943 .SSheets-Sheet 1 N EN TOR.

N. E. LAUTERBACH AUTOMATIC CONTAINER FILLER Feb. 26, 1946.

Filed Sept. 27, 1943 5 She ets-Sheet 2 Vor INVE

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Feb. 26, 1946. N. E. LAUTERBACH AUTOMATIC CONTAINER FILLER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 27, 1943 INVENTOR. mllaazsrlwcl Feb. 26, 1946. N. E. LAUTERBACH ,5

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. N. E. LAUTERBACH 1 AUTOMATIC CONTAINER FILLER Filed Sept. 27, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Feb. 26, 1946 AUTOMATIC CONTAINER FILLER Norman E. Lauterbach, Newark, N. Y., assignor to Ritter Company, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application September 27, 1943, Serial No. 503,968

Claims.

This invention relates to automatic devices for filling removable containers with water or other liquids, one object of the invention being to provide a fully automatic and more efiicient device of the above character, adapted to form part of an article of furniture, or the like, such, for example, as a dental equipment stand, for filling a drinking glass or other container commonly supported thereon.

Another object is the provision of such a de vice having a more sensitive valve actuating mechanism specially adapted for responding in an accurate and reliable manner to a relative small force such as the weight of a drinking glass.

A further object is to provide a. device of the nature described, capable of operation without any unsightly dripping or spilling of the water.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, alias will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the present invention and shown in association with a dental equipment stand;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the device as viewed from the right in Fig. 1, partly broken away;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in section on the line Act-4a in Fig. 6;

Fig. '5 is an enlarged, sectional elevation of valve parts, on the line 5a5a in Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on the line Ga-Sa in Fig. 4, showing the position of the parts with the container removed;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged, sectional elevation similar to Fig. 6, but showing the position of the parts with the container in place but unfilled;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, sectional elevation on the line 811-86 in Fig. 7, showing parts of the valve operating mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation similar to Figs. 6 and 7, but showing the position of the parts with the container in place and filled; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, sectional elevation on the line Hla--Illa of Fig. 1 showing the liquid there is shown at [5, Figs. 1 and 2, the column or pedestal of such a stand, of the type disclosed, for example, in the United States patent to O. H. Pieper, No. 2,021,518. At 16 on the pedestal is a laterally projecting arm on which is secured an outer portion ll formed with a bearing l8 for rotatably supporting an arm I9 for a cuspidor bowl 20, the parts [6 to 19, inclusive, being hollow and containing conduit means through which the discharge from the bowl is carried oil, as disclosed in said patent and well understood in the art.

Supported on the inner end of the arm I9 is a hollow upstanding arm 2|, the upper end of which is enlarged as at 22 and provided witha hollow extension 23 on which is mounted the hollow discharge outlet or neck 24 Of a support and housing 25 for the drinking glass 25 and an automatic filler mechanism therefor embodying the present invention.

The housing 25 for the drinking glass and filler mechanism comprises, preferably, a tray-like body portion 21, Figs. 6 and 7, having a bottom 28 from which the outlet neck 24 depends and from which rise side walls 29. The drinking glass is received on a circular plate support 30 located in the forward end of housing 25, the rear end of which contains a control valve for the nozzle of the water supply means, as well as a mechanism which is actuated automatically by the drinking glass for operating the valve, as here" after described. A cover portion 3| has side walls and a lid 32 which close in these parts.

The water supply system for the drinking glass, cuspidor bowl and saliva ejector (not shown) comprises the usual supply pipe (not shown) extending up through the pedestal and its portions I6 and H, as disclosed in said patent and well understood in the art. Branching from this pipe, on the bearing portion I1, is an outlet 33 controlled by a valve 34 and coupled by a union nut 35 with a nipple 36. Communicating with the nipple is an upwardly extending pipe 31 terminating at its upper end in a nipple 38 which is rotatably connected with an inlet 39 of a control valve (not shown) housed within the enlargement 22 at the upper end of arm 2|. The inlet 39 of such control valve is opened and closed by a cock 40, and the valve has several outlets leading to the nipple 4| (Fig. 6) for the drinking glass filler and to the nipples (not shown) for flushing the bowl and supplying the ejector as disclosed in said patent and well understood in the art. This construction allows the cuspidor arm l9 and its upstanding arm 2| and associated parts to swing about the vertical axis of bearing |8 while con tinuously connected with their supply and waste connections inside the pedestal l5.

The supply line for the drinking glass comprises an angular pipe 42 (Figs. and 6) having a terminal 43 connected by a union coupling 44 with the supply nipple 4|. The pipe 42 is coupled at its other end with an intake passage 45, Fig. 5, formed in the housing and leading to the valve chamber 46. upper wall of the chamber is a valve seat 41 with which coacts a valve head 48 adjustably threaded on a vertical stem 49 which is continued below the valve head and carries a plunger 58 sliding in a bore in a plug 5| screwed into the bottom of the valve chamber. In the movement of the valve head toward and from its seat 41, plunger 50 reciprocates loosely in the bore in the plug and serves to guide and cushion the action of the valve stem. The stem reciprocates with clearance in a bore or passage 52 (Fig. 7) and is further guided by a closely fitting gasket 53 received in the bottom of an enlargement, or well, at the upper end of the bore, the gasket being compressed by a plug 54 threaded into the well and loosely embracing the stem. The stem is reciprocated by the control mechanism hereafter described.

The valve and valve seat control the admission of water to the bore 52 around the valve stem and the bore communicates with the horizontal passage 55 (Fig. 7) leading to a vertical passage 56 into which is threaded the lower end of the nozzle supply line, or pipe, 51. The connection of the pipe with the housing is further sealed by packing 58 in a packing nut 59. The other end of pipe 51 extends upwardly and forwardly and terminates in a nozzle positioned to overhang a drinking glass resting on the container or glass support, 30.

The glass support is preferably in the shape of a circular plate 30, with moisture collecting grooves 60, forming the forward end of a lever 6| pivoted adjacent its other end, as by means of a pintle 62 mounted at its ends in the side walls of the housing. The rear end of the lever, on the opposite side of the pivot, has pivotally connected thereto, at 53, a link 64, the lower end of which is pivotally connected at 65 with the rear end of a lever 66, as shown. The forward end of lever 65 is turned downwardly and rounded, as at 61, and fulcrumed or pivoted on an upper surface of the housing bed 28. A screw 68, set in the housing, extends vertically through an opening 69 in lever 66, with suitable clearance, to retain its pivoted end in place, and to also act as an adjustable stop for protection of the valve mechanism in the event of excessive downward force exerted against plate 30.

To yieldably sustain the container support and levers 6| and 66, a bolt 10 is passed through an opening in lever 66 and downwardly through an opening in the bottom of the housing, below which it has coiled about it a spring 1| compressed between the housing and a knurled nut 12 adjustably threaded on the lower end of the bolt. It will be apparent from this construction that spring 1|, by means of the head of bolt 10, pulls down on lever 66 which pulls downwardl in turn on the lever 6|, so as to raise its forward end which carries the container or glass support 30. Conversely, the weight of the glass and its contents tend to depress support and compress spring 1| as controlled by its adjusted tension. It will be seen that as the container support and Projecting downwardly from the,

the forward end of lever 8| are thus depressed, the rear end of the lever and the connective lever 66 tend to rise, so that the forward end of lever 6| and lever 66, moving in opposite directions, approach each other.

When the weight of the container is removed from the support, the levers again move in opposite directions, but away from each other, under the force of spring 1|. These lever movements are employed to effect the relative movements of the valve seat 41 and valve head 48 toward and from each other, by connecting means which will now be described.

The means for operating the control valve pref erably comprises an extension of valve stem 49 upwardly and loosely through openings in levers BI and 66, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. This portion of the valve stem is threaded and provided above lever 56 with a threaded lug 13 havin a beveled and knife edged lower end 14 cooperating with a flat bearing surface 15 formed at the bottom of a recess in the lever 66 at the upper end of the opening therein through which the valve stem passes. Lug 13 is secured in its adjusted position by a lock nut 15, The contactin portions 14 and 15 form a rocking bearing between the lever and the lug and stem during the slight rocking motion to which the lever is subjected in action. Above lever 6|, the valve stem is provided with a similar threaded lug 11 beveled for a similar knife edge bearing in a recess formed in the lever at the upper end of the stem opening, and lug 11 is secured in adjusted position by means of a lock nut 18. Coiled about the valve stem, between the under side of lever 6| and an adjustable nut 19 thereon, is a compression spring 80 which acts as a yieldable link for opening the valve when an empty container is placed upon plate 30, and with spring 1|, supplies the necessary resistance to the closing of the valve until water in container 25 has reached the proper level.

With the container or glass removed from its support 30, levers SI and are moved, mainly by spring 1|, to the position shown in Fig. 6 in which the upper lever 8| engages the upper lug 11 and lifts the valve stem positively to close the valve. When an empty glass is placed on the support, the mechanism is moved to the intermediate position shown in Fig. 7 in which lever 6|, acting downwardly through spring 80, serves to lower the valve stem and open the valve, lever 53 being raised, in this position of the parts, so that it barely engages the lower lug 13. With such opening of the valve, water flows from the valve chamber through bore 52, passage 55 and nozzle pipe 51, and fills the glass. The increasing weight of the glass and contents produces further downward movement of the forward end of lever 6|, and upward movement of its rear end and of lever 66 which latter raises lug 13, to positively close the valve head against its seat, thereby shutting oif the supply of water at a desired adjusted level in the glass. Spring 1| counterbalances most of the weight of support 30 and container 26. Sprin is compressed by the weight of the water which further compresses spring 1| so that both springs contribute to the weighing of the water which is conveniently controlled by adjusting the acoessible outer spring 1| by means of nut 12.

It will thus be seen that downward movement of the support 30, under the weight of the glass and its contents, moves levers 6| and 65 in opposite directions toward each other and reciprocates the valve head in opposite directions, relatively to its seat, to first open and then close the valve. When the container is removed, upward motion of the support causes the levers to move through the same positions, but in reverse directions, during which the valve is opened only momentarily as the support is quickly raised by spring H. Means are provided, as hereafter described, for retaining the water admitted to the nozzle pipe during such brief opening of the valve.

Supply pipe terminates in a nozzle, Fig. 10, comprising a cylindrical nozzle body 8|. communicating end of the pipe is preferably reduced in diameter, as at 82, and this reduced passage is controlled by an adjustable screw 83, somewhat in the nature of a needle valve, so that the volume of supply can be nicely regulated. Nozzle body 8! has within it a concentric dome 84, of less diameter than the body, leaving an intermediate containing space 85 into which the pipe 51 discharges. Dome 84 is formed adjacent the bottom of the nozzle body with one or more downwardly directed ports 86 providing communication between the space 85 and the bottom of the interior of the dome. Rising through the bottom of the dome is a discharge pipe or nozzle outlet 81, the upper end of which terminates within the dome at a substantial distance above the bottom of the dome and housing. The top of housing 8| has communicating therewith a riser pipe 88. the upper end of which is threaded and carries a cap 89 formed with port openings 90 capable, by adjustment of the cap, of opening the housing to the atmosphere as shown, or of sealing it to prevent the escape of water under pressure.

It will be apparent from the above described nozzle construction that, with cap 89 unscrewed to vent the housing to the atmosphere, the restricted volume of water will flow by gravity through the housing space 85, the openings 86, and through the dome into the upper end of pipe 81 and thence to the container, rising to a height in the housing and dome approximately equal to the height of the upper end of pipe 81. When control valve 48 is closed by the filling of the container, the flow through nozzle pipe 81 produces a siphoning action which lowers the level of liquid in the housing space 85 until air is admitted through Openings 88, with the liquid level at about the line 9!, to break the siphon action, thus leaving the nozzle housing partly empty. Then when the control valve is briefly opened by the removal of the container and the rise of its support, the water so supplied is insufficient to fill the nozzle housin above the upper end of its pipe 81 and is therefore retained in the nozzle, thus avoiding unsightly dripping of the nozzle and spilling on the container support. The latter is formed, however, with openings 52 in its collecting grooves through which any accumulated water is drained down into the housing 25 and its discharge neck 24 leading to the discharge line of the equipment stand.

Nozzle 87 is formed with a bulbous end, as shown, for the reception, when desired, of an The.

extension hose for delivering water under pres- 81. The valve remains open until the glass receives a predetermined weight of water, which lowers the glass support to such a point that the valve is again seated and closed. When the glass is removed, the parts are returned to initial position and the brief quantity of water released during the return of the parts is retained in the discharge nozzle.

The mechanism comprises levers so arranged and connected, as to afiord a mechanical advantage which multiplies the force exerted by the limited size and weight of the drinking glass and its contents, so as to produce sufllcient force to overcome the friction of the parts and operate the mechanism and valve in a forceful, positive way capable of being accurately adjusted and controlled. The nut 12 for regulating the control spring H is readily accessible from the exterior of the housing. The supply of liquidis controlled by a single valve seat and valve, the action of which also is fully adjustable. The operation of the device is free from dripping and spillage of the water, and fully automatic, as the container is placed on and removed from the support.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects, and while it has been herein disclosed in connection with the details of a preferred embodiment, such disclosure is intended as illustrative, rather than limiting in sense, as it is contemplated that various changes and modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An automatic container filler comprising a container support, a fluid supply line for filling a container on said support, a valve in said line, a pair of connected levers, one of said levers having a connection with said support for moving said levers in one direction by the weight of a container and its fluid contents, yieldabie means for moving said levers and support in the oppo-' site direction, a connection between said valve and one of said levers for opening said valve when said lever is moved to an intermediate position by the weight of a container on said support, and mechanical connections between said valve and said levers for moving said valve to closed position by the movement of said levers either to one extreme position by the weight of a filled container on said support or to the other extreme position by said yieldable means upon the removal of the container from said support.

2. An automatic container filler comprising a container support, a fluid supply line for filling a container on said support, a valve in said line, a pair of connected levers, one of said levers being connected with said support for moving said levers in one direction by the weight of a container and its fluid contents, yieldable means for moving said levers and support in the opposite direction, a yieldable mechanical connection between sald valve and one of said levers for opening said valve when said lever is moved to an intermediate position by the weight of a container on said support, and positive connections between said valve and said levers for moving said valve to closed position by the movement of said levers either to one extreme position by the weight of a filled container on said support or to the other extreme position by said yieldable means upon the removal of the container from said support.

76 3. An automatic container filler comprising a oontainer support, a fluid supply line for filling a container on said support, a valve in said line, a pair of connected levers, one of said levers having a connection with said support for moving said levers in one direction by the weight of a container and its fiuid contents, yieldable means for moving said levers and support in the opposite direction, a mechanical connection between said valve and one of said levers for opening said valve when said lever is moved to an intermediate position by the weight of a container on said support, and mechanical connections between said valve and said levers for moving said valve to closed position by the movement of one of said levers when said support is moved to an extreme position in one direction by the weight of said container and contents and by the movement of the other of said levers when said support is moved to an extreme position in the other direction by said yieldable means upon removal of the container from said support.

4. An automatic container filler comprising a container support, a fiuid supply line for filiing a container on said support, a valve for controlling said line, a pair of levers, one of said levers being pivoted intermediate its ends and having one end connected with said support, the other of said levers being pivoted adjacent one end thereof and having the other end thereof connected with the other end of the first mentioned lever, yieldable means for counterbalancing said levers against the weight of a container and its contents on said support, a connection between said valve and one of said levers for moving said valve to open position by the movement of said lever to an intermediate position by the weight of a container on said support, and connections between said valve and said levers for moving said valve to closed position by the movement of said levers to one extreme position by the weight of a filled container on aid support or to the other extreme position by said yieldable means upon the removal of the container from said support.

5. An automatic container filler comprising a container support, a fluid supply line for filling a container on said support, a valve for controlling said line, a pair of levers, one of said levers being pivoted intermediate its ends and having one end connected with aid support, the other of said levers being pivoted adjacent one end thereof and having the other end thereof connected with the other end of the first mentioned lever, yieldable means for counterbalancing said levers against the weight of a container and its contents on said support, a connection between said valve and the first mentioned lever for opening said valve when said lever is lowered to an intermediate position by the weight of a container on said support, a connection between said valve and the iirst mentioned lever for closing said valve when said lever is raised by said yieldable means upon removal of the container from said support, and a connection between said valve and said other lever for closing said valve when said lever is raised by the weight of a filled container on said support.

6. An automatic container filler comprising a container support, a fiuid supply line for filling a container on said support, a valve for controlling said line, a pair of levers, one of said levers being pivoted intermediate its ends and having one end connected with said support, the other of said levers being pivoted adjacent one end thereof and having the other end thereof connected with the other end of the first mentioned lever,

yieldable means for counterbalancing said levers against the weight of a container and its contents on said support, a yieldable compression spring between said valve and the first mentioned lever for opening said valve when said lever is lowered to an intermediate position by the weight of a container on said support, a positive connection between said valve and the first mentioned lever for closing said valve when said lever is raised by said yieldable means upon removal of the container from said support, and a positive connection between said valve and said other lever for closing said valve when said lever is raised by the weight of a filled container on said support.

'7. An automatic container filler comprising a movable container support, a fluid supply line for filling a container on said support, a single valve movable to control said line, a pair of levers, one of said levers being pivoted intermediate its ends with one end connected with said support, the other of said levers being pivotally supported at one end and provided at its other end with a link pivotally connected therewith and with the other end of the first mentioned lever, yieldable means resisting movement of said levers by the weight of a container and its contents on said support, a connection between said valve and one of said levers for opening said valve when said levers are moved to an intermediate position by the weight of a container on said support, and a connection between said valve and each of said levers for closing said valve by extreme movement of one lever when said container is filled and by extreme movement of the other lever when the container is removed from said support.

8i An automatic container filler comprising a movable container support, a fiuid supply line for filling a container on said support, a valve having a stem movable to control said line, a pair of levers, one of said levers being pivoted intermediate its ends with one end connected with said support, the other of said levers being pivoted at one end with its other end connected by a pivoted link with the other end of the first mentioned lever, spring means for counterbalancing said levers against the weight of said container, yieldable means connecting said valve stem with the first mentioned lever for opening said valve by the weight of a container on said support, and adjustable connections between said valve stem and said levers for moving said valve to closed position by the movement of said levers in opposite directions by the weight of a container and its contents on said support and by said spring means when the container is removed from said support.

9. An automatic container filler comprising a pair of levers, one 01? said levers being pivoted intermediate its ends and nearer one end than the other and having a container support mounted on its longer end, the other of said levers being pivoted adjacent one end with its other end connected with the shorter end of the first mentioned lever, yieldable means for moving said levers in a direction to counterbalance the weight of said support and container thereon, a fiuid supply line for filling a container on said support, a valve having a single seat for controlling said line, a valve head movable toward and from said seat and having a stem, yieldable means connecting said valve stem with the inner end of said first mentioned lever for opening said valve under the weight of a container on said support,

and a pair of shoulders on said valve stem for actuation alternately by said levers, respectively, to close said valve on extreme movement of said support in opposite directions by the filling of said container or by the removal of said container from said support, respectively.

10. An automatic container filler comprising a container support, a fluid supply line for filling a container on said support, a valve in said line, a pair of connected levers, one of said levers having a connection with said support for moving said levers in one direction by the weight of a container and its fluid contents, yieldable means for moving said levers and support in the opposite direction, a connection between said valve and one of said levers for opening said valve when said lever is moved to an intermediate positionby the weight of a container on said support, mechanical connections between said valve and said levers for moving said valve to closed position by the movement of said levers to extreme position in opposite directions by the weight of a filled container or by said yieldable means on the removal of said container from said support, and a reservoir in said line having a siphoning discharge for draining the same after the filling of a container and the closing of said valve and for retaining fluid released by said valve during the return motion of said support when said container is removed therefrom.

NORMAN E. LAUTERBACH. 

